Faux postage and some exciting news, a new challenge blog starting soon!

Hi there, I've been a little quiet on the blogging front lately but fortunately I've found my missing mojo as there is a fab new challenge blog starting on Sunday

Fashionable Stamping Challenges .

It was so sad when Suzanne our lovely leader over at Let's Ink It Up had to close the challenge due to her ill health (big hugs hunny, hope you're feeling better soon) and we missed our regular inky fix. Anyway Shirley came up with the idea of a new inky challenge, sponsored by the very generous Marina of Cottage Crafts. Its wonderful to be part of this new team with some very dear friends from LIIU and some new friends too but we'll also be having a DT call so pop over to  Fashionable Stamping Challenges for more information :-)

I came up with this project for the new challenge blog and I'm busy getting inky with another project for our first challenge on Sunday. 

I've used loads of different stamps on this project, apart from the sentiment they are all from Chocolate Baroque, as is the wonderful perforated paper I used for the 'stamps'.  The background is made with vintage photo, tea dye and black soot distress inks and stamps from the Paisley Elephant stamp sheet. The main image (from Peacock Ladies by Chocolate Baroque) is coloured with promarkers and sakura stardust pens for some bling (I haven't used them for ages and I'd forgotten how yummy they are). I made the 'stamps' using lots of different inks, brayering, sponging and  masking (using stamps from the Mini stamps multi buy sheets  also from Chocolate Baroque). I layered them up (and almost totally covered the background as I got carried away lol) and then overstamped with the mini postmarks. Here's a pic to show some of the detail.

The sentiment is from Sweet Pea Stamps and reads 'Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts'. I thought it was perfect for my collage of stamps.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

2 Sisters: Anything goes

Bling it on: Anything goes

Craft us Crazy: Anything goes

Creative Craft Challenge: Let's 3d it

Make it colourful: Colour your own embellishments

Prairie Fairy: On holiday

Simon Says Stamp and Show: Anything goes

The Artistic Stamper:  Feeling hot hot hot 

I do hope you're going to pop over and have a look at Fashionable Stamping Challenges, we're all so excited about our first challenge and it would be great if you'd get inky with us

hugs

Claire xx

Look to the skies

Its been ages since I dreamed along with Frankie and her team at Dragon's Dream Tag it on but for once i've managed to get a tag finished for this weeks challenge which is 'Look to the skies' 

I love these stamps, Neverland from Artistic Outpost and they came to mind as soon as i saw the challenge theme at DDTIO. I masked the moon, stamped and masked John and Michael and the houses. Then I brayered the sky lightly with summer sky memento ink and created some clouds using Barbara Gray's versmark and cotton wool technique. I left it to dry for a little while and then brayered over with Danube blue and a little tuxedo black. The versamark acts as a resist and when you buff it with some tissue the clouds appear.

I coloured the images with promarkers and edged the tag with a gold krylon pen, adding a gold eyelet and some blue ribbon to finish off.

I'm also entering this tag in the following challenges:

ABC Challenge: Y is for yesterday

Allsorts: Free and easy

Craft us Crazy: anything goes

A spoon full of sugar: Create a tag

Totally Papercrafts: One for the boys

Thanks for calling by today, hope you're enjoying the weekend

Claire xx

Christmas Tree Fairy

I told you I was in Christmas card mode and this is my 3rd Christmas card in as many days. I'll be making a start on next years cards at this rate lol. Today's card features another gorgeous image from the Prairie Fairy, she is called 'Christmas Tree Fairy' and she comes with some beautiful christmas tree ornaments too.

I've coloured her with promarkers and tria markers, she is a real joy to colour with that beautiful dress. I've added loads of glamour dust to her wings and to make the bauble pop i've triple embossed it with clear EP and added a sprinkle of holographic ep to the final layer.

I made the bp using white card stamped with Stampers Anonymous snowflake stamps, embossed with clear holographic ep. It has a lovely shimmer but its a bit camera shy lol

I've also added a layer of vellum embossed with a cuttlebug script folder, pale pink and white feathers and lots of flowers (mainly from Wild Orchid Crafts) and all liberally glamour dusted. There are also a few wired pearls, a few dew drops, some seam binding ribbon, a little Christmas tree charm, stickles (and probably a few dog hairs too lol) thrown in to the mix.

Here's another pic to catch the detail

The sentiment is also from the Prairie Fairy. I've used smooth white card from Crafty Emma's store  and its wonderful stuff for blending with promarkers, love it!! 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bling it on: Anything goes

Crafty Emma's Challenge: Christmas

Christmas Cards all year round: white, bling and flowers

Christmas Card Challenges: Faith

Deep Ocean Challenge: ribbon

Gingerloft: make it sparkle

I love promarkers: Christmas in July

Magical Monday: Add some texture

Papertake Weekly: Getting cute

Shopping our Stash: Technique turnback 

(adding sparkle to triple embossing is my old technique)

Thanks for calling by today. I'm hoping my new promarker nibs will be waiting for me when i get in from work. I do love promarkers but sometimes struggle with tiny details so i can't wait to have a go with them. Have a good day

Claire xx

Challenge 5 at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}

Hello, I don't know where summer has gone the weather here is awful but when Christmas sneaks up on us I won't be in a last minute panic getting my cards done :-) Today's card is my DT card for Christmas Challenges {with sketches} and this time the sketch is designed by the lovely Carol. 

This time our challenge is sponsored by Kreja Teja, so pop on over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous prize, Carol's sketch and of course all the amazing inspiration from the DT too.

I seem to have made a lot of cute/girly Christmas cards lately so I decided to make something a little different. I absolutely adore this stamp (from Chocolate Baroque, Christmas Angel of Light stamp sheet) and stamped her with black soot distress ink and coloured her with promarkers.

The bps are all made with plain white card, more black soot distress ink and various stamps from Chocolate Baroque. I distressed all the bps with my craft knife and added some faux stitching. The black velvet ribbon is from my stash and the white lace from WOC. The swirly corners are cut on my cricut and embossed with black ep. The sentiment is another of my all time favourites, also from Chocolate Baroque.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

2 sisters: Christmas in July

Christmas Card Challenges: Faith 

Christmas inspirations: free Christmas project

Crafty Emma's Challenge: Christmas

Crafty Pad: Christmas in July

Creative Inspirations: Christmas in July

Paper Sundaes: Christmas in July

Sparkles Forum: elegance and lace

Stamp Something: Christmas in July

Stampin with the Dragon: Christmas in July

I hope you're having a good week so far, as always I'm counting down to the weekend for my crafting fix but this week I've started an online colouring course. I tend to use my promarkers all the time but I love all my paints and pencils (although the results are very hit and miss lol) so I decided to enrol on Colouring 101 at My Creative Classroom. The first class started this week and although its made me realise just how much i have to learn its been a real inspiration already. The tutor is the ubertalented, Glenda Waterworth so that makes it even better. I'll be watching the clock all day waiting to get home to my craftroom lol

Claire xx

Claire xx

Another one for the Christmas box :-)

Hi there, I'm definitely in Christmas card mode at the minute lol, no wonder with the weather we've been having here in the UK. we've had torrential rain  today so it doesn't look as if summer is coming back yet. It may not be sunbathing weather but its perfect crafting weather and as I was the lucky winner of the first Prairie Fairy weekly gift certificate winner I have some gorgeous new images to colour :-). Pop over to the Prairie Fairy blog, here to join in the weekly candy

I'm pretty new to Praire Fairy images but I was blown away by the choice of designs, todays card features Gilly's Carolling, she's such a cute character i couldn't resist her. I've coloured Gillian with promarkers and cut out with nesties and then used tapestry stamps for the border. I drew round the nestie to create the shaped easel card and added a tapestry stamped mat on the bottom of the card. I used the sentiment that comes with Gilly to prop the easel up and added some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and a scrap of red organza ribbon.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bah Humbug: Shapes

Christmas Inspirations: Free Christmas Project

Crazy Challenge: Christmas in July

Digistamps for Joy: Christmas in July

Just some lines: Easel Cards

Paper Sundaes: Christmas in July

Simon Says Stamp: Anything goes

Simply Create: Christmas time

Stamps & Fun = Creativity: Digistamps

Top Tip Tuesday: Shaped cards

Thanks for visiting today. I'd better stop singing along with Gillian 

then the sun might come back lol. 

Claire xx

Restless Thoughts

Hi there, I hope you're having a good weekend. My mojo is still playing hard to get but yesterday I managed to mess around with distress inks and make this background to coordinate with this sweet pea stamp that I coloured a while ago. 

The stamp is Ching Chou Kuik's 'Restless thoughts', she is coloured with promarkers and has a little glamour dust for some sparkle. This weeks challenge from In a Sweet Pea Dream is 'ATCs' so I matted the image on a pink ATC blank and distressed the edges.

The background is made using stamps from Chocolate Baroque  (decadent brocade stamp sheet). I used distress inks (shabby shutters, peeled paint, victorian velvet, spun sugar) direct to paper and then misted with water and stamped the delicate swirl in the same colours. I distressed the edges with my craft knife and added some green faux pearls in the corners. The flower is also from the same stamp set, stamped on parchment with spun sugar distress ink and embossed with clear sparkle EP. I stamped the flower again on white card with Victorian velvet ink, embossed and cut it out. I used my embossing tool to give the petals some shape and attached the flower, added some pink stickles and some punched leaves to a scrap corner of card to make a little pocket to hold the ATC.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Creative Craft Challenge: Pretty Blossoms

Digi Doodle Shop's Best: Make your own  flowers

Divas by design: pastels

Emerald Faery Challenge: All things nice (Girly)

In a Sweet Pea dream: ATCs

Little Claire's: things with wings

Little Red Wagon: Lime, pink and white

Moving along with the times: My favourite things 

(Sweet pea and chocolate Baroque stamps, promarkers )

My Mum's Craft Shop: Swirls and pearls

Paperplay: things with wings

Sugar Creek Hollow: Wing things (vintage, shabby chic or primitive)

Sweet Pea Stampers: anything goes

Totally Papercrafts: Girly girl

Thanks for calling by today

Claire xx

Challenge 45 at Crafty Ann's

Well another 2 weeks have whizzed by and  its time for a new challenge over at 

Crafty Ann's Challenge blog. This time the theme is to use Embossing or Debossing (or both) on your project and of course the lucky winner will get a fab prize from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop :-)

Here's my DT card, using Crafty Ann's beautiful image 'Apple Bowl' which also comes with a lovely apple border too. I've also used Crafty Ann's 'Embossed Hearts' bp in crimson from the Autumn tones embossed hearts collection. These bps are amazing, they really do look like they are embossed don't they?

Anyway the image is coloured with promarkers and cut out with Nesties (labels 11). I've used an embossing folder to emboss some whitewash coredinations card and then sanded it to highlight the leaves. i've added some green satin ribbon, some brads and chipboard hearts and sentiment (freebies with a craft mag) to finish the card off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Amber's Crafts and Stuff: embossing

Aud Sentiments: Use a sentiment with at least 2 words

Lollipop Crafts: anything goes

One Stitch at a time: Anything goes

Shelley's images: what's cooking?

Shopping our Stash : Out with the old or in with the new (the brads and embossing folder i've used have been in my stash for years)

Simon Says Stamp: anything goes

Right, i'd better get myself organised for work, its never so bad on a Friday when you know its nearly weekend is it??

Thanks for popping by today

Claire xx

Seaside Ted

Today's card features this little cutie, 'Seaside Ted' from Chocolate Baroque. I don't often use teddy stamps but I couldn't resist this little chap, I love his outfit and the background stamps with him are fab too.

I stamped Teddy with memento ink and masked him before I stamped the background and coloured the image with promarkers. The top bp is made with shell stamps, again from Chocolate Baroque and the buttons are from my stash.

I wanted a vintage 'deck chairish' bp but didn't have anything in the right colours so I had a bit of a brainwave and used the side of my acrylic block to stamp the blue stripes (using tumbled glass distress ink) and the edge of an acrylic block to stamp the fine red stripes (fired brick distress ink). I used my clear ruler to space the blue lines and just guessed the spacing of the red lines. I used part of the bp at the bottom of the card and used the scraps, crumpled and pleated to create the border and the 'pelmet' at the top of the image. I'm really pleased with this idea as i can have stripey bps to match any ink pads I'm using now :-) 

I'm entering Seaside Ted in the following challenges

Allsorts: Free and easy

Cardmaking Mama's : summertime

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight challenge: Masking

Crazy 4 Challenges: Summer

Lexi's Creations: At the beach

Pollycraft: The Great Outdoors

Sentimental Sundays: Inky fingers

Sweet Stampin: Cute and Cuddly

Totally Papercrafts: on the beach

thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Field of Poppies

Hi there, I had such a lazy weekend I didn't even get much crafting done but yesterday I managed to motivate myself to have a play with my acrylic paints and make this card. The decoupage is 'Field of Poppies' from The Crafty Purple Frog,  I've been lucky enough to win a couple of these gorgeous decoupage sheets and they really are beautiful. Once i'd done the cutting out and layering up, I sprayed it with some Crafters Companion 'Spray and Shine' and layered it up on some Marianne die cuts

The background is 'paint fusioned', I used wilkinsons emulsion tester pots and watered down pva glue for the crackle background and stamped the poppies and leaves  from Sheena Douglass' paint fusion 'Poppies' with stazon. I used pink and burgundy acrylic paints for the poppies instead of the true reds as I wanted to mirror the colours in the decoupage. I love poppies, they are one of my favourite summer flowers.

Once all the paint was dry I distressed the background with bundled sage distress ink and stamped the 'poppies' text stamp and swirls from the same stamp set in versamark and embossed with gold ep. I edged the background with more gold EP and matted on some black card edged with a gold krylon pen. To finish off I added some dots of ranger black enamel accents. 

It was really difficult to get a decent pic as the spray and shine really does shine lol, anyway here's a pic to try and catch a bit of the detail.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz: all about flowers

Crafty Purple Frog: Summer sun

Dream Valley: Summer theme

I did it creations: Floral

Pile it on: Your favourite technique (I love anything with paint and lots of MESS lol)

Quirky Crafts: make your own patterned paper

Shopping our Stash: Use something from a RAK/Candy/Prize etc (I've used the decoupage from CPF which I won in a challenge)

thanks for visiting today

Claire xx

Twas the night before Christmas

I don't know about you but I always used to spend ages on Christmas eve peeping through the curtains looking up at the sky for a glimpse of Santa. When I saw the challenge at Christmas Card Challenges was Twas the night before Christmas, my first thought was the excitement of watching for Santa through the window which fits perfectly with this weeks challenge from Bah Humbug which is acetate

The main image is a gorgeous digistamp from Crafts and Me called 'Stargazer', she is such a cutie with that little fairy sat on her head :-) I've coloured her with promarkers and  she has a little glamour dust on her nightie (and the fairy's wings). I cut a square aperture out of a 6x6 card blank and backed it with acetate. I made the background by masking the moon and brayering the night sky with various shades of blue memento ink and also a little black to darken the edges. I stamped the Santa and Sleigh with black versafine and added the snowflakes with a white gel pen. The sentiment is computer generated.

I'm also entering this card in the following challenges:

ABC Christmas: N is for 'no nonsense'

Celebrate the Occasion: Christmas in July (no red)

Crafts and me: favourite stamp or image

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight challenge: masking (I masked the moon and brayered the background over the top)

Flutter by Wednesday: open challenge with butterfly angel or fairy

I love Promarkers: Clean and simple

The House that Stamps Built: Christmas or holiday card

Sweet Stamps: Christmas in July

Thats another one for the Christmas card box :-)

Thanks for calling by today

Claire xx

Sketch number 4 at Christmas Challenges {with sketches}

Hello there, phew we've been having some lovely warm summer weather (although its the weather isn't playing nicely today lol) but its never to early to get ahead with your Christmas cards so why not pop over to Christmas Challenges {with sketches} and check out my lovely teamie Renata's gorgeous sketch for our latest challenge.

Here's my DT card but first you'll want to know all about our fabby sponsor. This week our lucky winner will receive a prize from Whiff of Joy, wow what a treat! I love WoJ stamps they are gorgeous so hop on over to the challenge blog for more details of the prize :-)

Right back to my card, I've used a cute Tilda stamp for this card. I have to say I don't often use my Magnolia stamps but I thought this little sweetie would be perfect for a Christmas card. I've coloured her wih my luvverly new Tria markers (a mega bargain from Letraset), I love them as they have a really fine tip as well as the usual brush and chisel nibs. Great news that they are bringing out a fine tip for promarkers, I'll have to invest in some of them. 


Anyway back to Tilda, I cut her out and layered her up on a die cut (nestie labels 4) distressed with lots of vintage photo DI and a faux nestie cut from red card and again distressed. I added a little glitter to her star. The backing papers are from GCD 'Joyful Peace' collection, all have been distressed with my craft knife. I've added some red card from my stash and embossed a piece with a Stampers Anonymous music stamp. The ribbon is from my stash and the flowers are mostly from Wild Orchid Crafts, all liberally glamour dusted. I also added a little star to match the star Tilda is carrying. I painted a grungeboard star with pale yellow acrylic paint and again added lots of glamour dust. Once it was dry I attached the star to a cocktail stick that I coloured with tea dye distress ink. To finish off I've added some red wired beads, a sentiment from Crafters Companion and some raffia lace and a little charm. Here's another pic to show the detail and hopefully the colours a bit better.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Bling it on: Anything goes

Craft Your Days Away: Vintage

Dream Valley: Ribbon 

Emerald Faerie Garden: Sugar and spice, all things girly

Gingerloft: add beads

Our Creative Corner: Christmas in July ( or 4th July)

Sparkles Forum: Glitter

Totally Tilda: Distressing

Tuesday Throwdown: Christmas in July

Winter Wonderland: Christmas buffet (I've chosen patterned paper, charm, buttons)

Thanks for calling by today. 

Claire xx

Some jewellery for a change

Hellloooooo, how did it get to be Monday morning so quickly?? I feel as though I've blinked and missed the weekend. I've got a manic week at work this week so I may not be around much but before I do my impression of a hamster on a wheel I thought I'd share some jewellery I've made recently with stampbord and Silver Art Clay. 

The top 2 pins are made with stampbord, I've used stamps from Chocolate Baroque, the large square pin is stamped with part of the huge stamp from Butterfly Dreams stamp sheet and coloured with Tinkabella inks. The smaller pin is stamped with one of the stamps from Nature's Paisley stamp sheet and painted with distress inks. I've used gold UTEE round the edges of both and then gave them a couple of coats of matt varnish and come gold acrylic paint on the back. I've attached some brooch pins to the back with glossy accents.  Here's a closer pic:

The other 3 are pendants made from Silver Art Clay, they still need another polish but I can't find the silver polish, you can tell how often I polish the family silver lol

Again the stamps are from Chocolate Baroque, I've used the large stamp from Butterfly Dreams for the square pendant, and I can't remember which plates the other butterflys are from .... Glenda has so many gorgeous butterfly stamps.

I love working with silver clay, there's something really relaxing about all the sanding and its great to see the silver appear from the fired piece when you brush  it. Loads of fun!! I've put a bale on the back of each pendant, and will probably string them on some ribbon or cord when I get round to it. I'm entering my jewellery in the following challenges:

Bling it on: anything goes

By the cute and girly: things with wings

Sir Stampalot: Anything goes

Truly Scrumptious: things with wings

Thanks for visiting today, I'd better get my skates on and go earn a crust :-)

Claire xx

Messing around with inks

Phew what a beautiful summer day we're having again. I've had a lovely day so far pottering around making some cards and jewellery. This card came about after a little play with some inks - tinkabella for the main image and memento dye inks for the background.

 The background is brayered with canteloupe and bamboo leaves memento ink and stamped with stamps from Fantasy Meadow and Floral Bouquet stamp sheets from Chocolate Baroque. The background is matted on some black card and has black enamel accents in the corners.

I stamped the main image onto coated white card using black versafine with stamps from Fantasy Meadow, Floral bouquet and also Nature Table and Gossamer Wings (all again from Chocolate Baroque). I painted the images with tinkabella inks, they have a lovely sheen especially on this coated cardstock. I made the background with more tinkabella inks and lots of water which makes the inks break up and created a lovely effect. Once the background was dry I overstamped some more foliage around the top of the image in black.

To finish off I added a creative acrylic tag stamped with a HOTP sentiment and embossed with black EP.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Allsorts: Free and easy

Bunny Zoe's Crafts: Fairies

By the cute and girly: things with wings

Crafts and Me: Birthdays

Flutter by Wednesday: Open challenge with butterfly angel or fairy

My Mum's Craft Shop: something old something new

(I've had the fairy stamp and inks for ages but the flower stamps and memento inks are new)

Oldie but goodie: anything goes

Simply Create:  Silhouettes

Top Tip Tuesday: Something beginning with T (I've used Tinkabella inks)

Thanks for calling by today.

Claire xx

Two hearts

Hi there, how's your weekend going? I've been battling with the weeds in the garden this morning and lazing around this afternoon. Its far too hot to cook so I think its time to launch the new bbq and sit out in the garden for a couple of hours. But first I just wanted to share this card made with my trusty brayer.

The sun and hills were created by masking using copier paper and the water was brayered using Barbara Gray's scrunched paper technique although it doesn't show up too well in the pic unfortunately. Its a lovely technique though and give a beautiful watery effect. I've used an assortment of stamps with this card, the couple in a boat in from Clarity, the sentiment is from Joanna Sheen, butterflys from Enchanted ink and the foliage from Autumn leaves (silhouette blossoms). I've kept the card pretty simple and apart from the stamping i've just added some fantasy film to make the butterflies really flutter.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Moving along with the times: here comes summer

My Mum's Craft Shop: Something old, something new (all the stamps are old apart from the little Clarity couple with is new)

Pals Paper Arts: Use your favourite technique (mine is brayering)

Sir Stampalot: anything goes

The Poodles Parlour: Come fly with me

Right, I'm off to put my feet up and enjoy some sunshine while I've got some peace and quiet. 

Thanks for popping by

Claire xx

Challenge 44 at Crafty Ann's

Hi there, don't you just love Fridays?? I do, the weekend is almost here and its time for a new challenge from Crafty Ann's and this time the theme is Get Well/Thinking of You/Just Because. 

For my DT card I've used Crafty Ann's beautiful 'Blossom Fan' and one of the yummy mottled stone bps (you can find both here)

I used the individual fan blades (although the image does include a fan too), coloured with promarkers and cut them out before edging with a gold krylon pen. I secured the fan with a jewelled brad and attached it with silicone glue. The sentiment is a stamp from Chocolate Baroque, 'Words of comfort and cheer' stamp sheet. Its stamped and embossed with gold ep cut out with nestie (labels 4), inked with spun sugar DI and matted on some pink card with a little butterfly charm attached. I added some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and Crafty Emma's (sprayed with a little angel mist cosmic shimmer spray), some lace (coloured with distress inks) from my stash and some faux pearls to finish off.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Charisma Cardz: Icecream colours (raspberry ripple)

The Crafty Pad: bold and bright or soft pastels

Digi Doodle Shop's Best: Anything goes

I love promarkers: flowers

My Mum's Craft Shop: something old, something new (new image, sentiment and cosmic shimmer spray, old lace)

One Stop Craft challenge: get well soon

Ooh la la: summer flowers

The Paper Shelter: Anything goes

The Shabby Tea Room: My favourite things (fans, flowers and lace)

A spoonfull of sugar: get well

Thanks for calling by today. 

Claire xx